


Salvation

by stharridan



Category: Bleach
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-31
Updated: 2012-05-31
Packaged: 2017-11-06 09:46:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/417475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stharridan/pseuds/stharridan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Orihime's the only one who can guide Ichigo back to the light.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Salvation

Ichigo never really gave a thought about one Inoue Orihime. As far as he was concerned, they were just classmates, friends who spent days cooped up in school moaning about irritating teachers and heaps of homework. He would be on the groaning side, complaining with his head tipped back, face raised to the sky, but she would just sit beside him, quiet, enjoying every second spent with him – she was content with the simplest of things, and he couldn't really figure out why all she wanted was just to be with him.

The girl was everything as opposed to what he was. Smart but square, clumsy but careful at the same time. Eventually, he found himself adoring each move she made, smiling slightly every time she raised her hand to answer a question, giving her a thumbs-up whenever she shot out the right answer and chuckling softly to himself whenever she got it wrong.

It was always amusing to watch the way she pouted, disappointed at her own lack of knowledge, and afterwards he'd convince her that the teacher was just being nasty even though deep down he knew that it wasn't the truth. His persuasion never failed to bring a smile to her face, and though what he said were merely lies, he was content with seeing her relieved and free of burden. Her joviality often brought a grin to his face, tickled the sides of his heart.

But when he was engulfed in darkness, when his inner hollow took over him, controlling his system, he could no longer tell right from wrong. Couldn't come to his senses to differentiate between friend and foe. That was when the real fear crept in, one that he never knew he could ever feel. It was unlike any sensation – it burned his skin, scorched his throat as he screamed seemingly silent words of plea, tore his heart right out of his chest and ripped it to pieces; he was rendered helpless, an uncontrollable beast.

He was afraid of hurting her. Despite how much he tried to control, restrain himself, he never could. His hands would move of their own accord, gripping the zanpakuto and slashing away blindly. He had no idea as to who he cut down – was it Rukia? Renji? Ishida? Orihime herself? Often he would shriek his protests, resulting in them only coming out in vicious, incoherent cries.

He was about ready to take his own life, preferring to die instead of turning on his own friends, but when he felt her presence, opened his eyes and saw the worried, frightened look on her face, he stayed his blade. It seemed to be the only power to really catapult him back to his senses, and he found himself staring into her eyes, pleading to be saved.

And she'd step towards him, unafraid now that she knew that he had a vague sense of himself, and she'd reach out to touch his face. Her gentle caress struck a chord within him, bringing with it the memories of their olden days in school – her smile, her laughter, her pout, everything that brought joy to his being.

The darkness would dissolve then, dissipating into thin air. And she'd be there, with a small smile gracing her lovely features, silently welcoming him back to the present. A hand raised, and he'd run his fingers through her smooth, orange hair, but words weren't needed when it came to just the two of them. He'd lean against her, exhausted and spent; she'd wrap her arms around him, supporting him.

In Ichigo's world of darkness, Orihime was the only one whose light shone brightly, guiding him back to the right path, to salvation.


End file.
